She glanced across at Edward, who’d been joined by Gloria, and when she saw who was with them she hesitated. It was the red-haired woman, the one she had seen with Edward, and she was smiling across at Belle. She stared at the woman with questions spinning in her head. Who was she? And why did Belle feel as if she knew her? Could it be anything more than her resemblance to Diana?

‘Shall we join the others?’ Clayton said.

As they approached the bar Gloria beckoned Belle forward. ‘Come and meet Susannah.’

The other woman smiled and, in a moment of understanding, Belle realized the apparent familiarity was exactly as she’d previously thought: the woman did resemble her mother, who of course was no longer alive. When the woman spoke, Belle was surprised by a strong Scottish accent. And, though well preserved, with only a network of fine facial lines, she was older than Belle had first thought. Her upright posture and modern dress had, from a distance, given the impression of a younger woman but, face to face, she must clearly be in her late fifties. If Belle had harboured even a shadow of suspicion that she might have been Elvira, which of course she had not, not really, it was now quickly dispelled. The woman’s age made it impossible. Belle shook her hand.

‘I tracked Harry down the night of the regatta,’ Gloria was saying, ‘God, it seems ages ago, but when I looked for you you’d vanished. You never did say where and I’ve barely seen you since the races.’

‘Oh,’ Belle said, thinking rapidly and remembering how she’d made her escape with Oliver. ‘I had a headache that night so headed home. And since then … well, I’ve been rather busy.’

Narrowing her eyes, Gloria gave her a funny look.

Belle felt her colour rising. ‘Sorry, I did look for you at the regatta to say.’

‘Did you, darling?’ Gloria paused, clearly not taken in by the lie. ‘Well, never mind now. Harry went off to the wilds soon after the regatta, so there was no point bringing up the subject again, but he’s back now, and he and I will be at the Golden Eagle at eleven for an early lunch tomorrow. It’s the bar I took you to when you first arrived. You remember it?’

Belle nodded but couldn’t help feeling she’d been caught out. Now, wanting to get away, she muttered something about having had a long day but she’d see her in the morning, then bid them all goodnight.

30.